Forged-steel fulcrum



May 8, 1923. 1,454,168

1 w. C. HEDGCOCK v FORGED S'TEEL FULCRUM FilpdYJqne' l0 1921 Jiieyarviar' Patented May 8, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFEQE.

WILLIAM C. HEDGCOCK, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN STEEL FOUNDRIES, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A. CORPORATION OF NETIV JERSEY. I

FORGED-STEEL FULCRUM.

Application filed June 10, 1921. Serial No. 476,383.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM C. HEDG- cocK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Forged-Steel Fulcrum, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a forged fulcrum.

As is well known, the advantages of a forged steel fulcrum are principally in its superior strength over a malleable iron casting and the comparative ease with which it can be repaired or reclaimed if it becomes distorted, for when a cast fulcrum is damaged it is usually broken so that it cannotbe repaired but a forged fulcrum merely bends or becomes distorted and may be restored to its original shape. In the manufacture of forged fulcrums it is desirable to provide a structure which can be easily and inexpensively made without lessening the possibility of easily repairing same.

One object of this invention is to provide a forged fulcrum which will meet this condition.

Another object is to provide a forged fulcrum which is simple and durable in construction and adapted to meet the various requirements for successful commercial use.

These and other objects are accomplished by means of the fulcrum and method disclosed on the accompanying sheet of drawings, in which Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan view of the blank from which the fulcrum is made;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of the sameblank;

Figure 3 is a side elevation of a completed fulcrum;

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the same fulcrum; and

Figure 5 is a front elevation of the fulcrum.

The various novel features of the invention will be apparent from the following description and drawings and will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the figures of the drawings it will be noted that the fulcrum is formed from a metal blank 10 which is first perforated or provided with an elongated openmg 11. The opening 11 may be punched in the blank 10 either in a heated or cold condition. The portions of the blank '10 atopposite sides of the opening 11 are then twisted a predetermined amount, usually 40 and the extreme end portions of the blank bent at a right angle to form feet 12 by means of which a fulcrum may be secured to a compression member of a brake beam, it being understood that during these operations the blank is in a heated condition. With the blank still hot the latter is bent at the open ing 11 to form a seat 13 for the reception of a tension rod of a brake beam. For conforming to the tension rod the outer edges 14- of the end walls of the slot 11 are beveled, as shown at 15. seat is in a. form for receiving a circular tension rod but it will be understood that a rod of any section may be received and'the seat correspondingly shaped by a suitable punched opening. The arms 16 of the fulcrum are spaced a predetermined amount for the reception of a brake lever and are provided with alined holes 17 for the reception of'a pin for pivotally connecting the usual brake lever to the fulcrum. It will be noted that the front end of the fulcrum is As shown, the tension rod bridged by the parts 18 forming opposite walls of the opening 11 and it is this bridging element which is provided with the opening for forming a tension rod seat.

By means of this arrangement a simple and inexpensive fulcrum and simple and inexpensive method of making same are provided. v r

It is my intention to cover all modifica tions of the invention falling within the spirit and scope of the following claims.

I claim: i y

1. A forged fulcrum comprising two spaced arms bridged at one end, the bridging piece being perforated to form a seat for a tension rod.

2. A forged fulcrum comprising two spaced arms twisted at an angle with respect to the balance of the fulcrum and being bridged at one end, the bridging piece being perforated to form an open seat for a tension rod.

of June, 1921.

WILLIAM o. HEDGCOOK.

Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this 6th da 

